A Foolish Misunderstanding
by StormieLikeWeather
Summary: AU - A short oneshot for April Fools' Day. - Complete


**An:Sorry about the formatting, I can't get it to save the spaces between the lines. It's also posted to dokuga if you'd rather read it there. (formatting is proper there.) **Happy April Fools' Day! I tried to finish this last night, but that didn't happen. So it's a day late. Enjoy!

"You've got to be joking, right?"

That was what Kagome responded with right after he professed his undying love for her.

"_You've got to be joking, right?" _The words echoed in his head. _Joking_...

She thought he was kidding. Did she know him at all?

The laughter ringing through the courtyard further unsettled... He tightened his lips.

"I MEAN COME ON!" She held her sides, doubled over. Fell to the ground. Tears glistened in her eyes. "This is the best April Fools' Day!" Her large smile taunted him.

His jaw clenched. Claws curling into his palms.

She laughed until she laid breathless looking up at him from her place on the grassy lawn. Wild black hair framed her face and shoulders. She sighed. Her grin remained.

It was pathetic how adorable he continued to find her after she'd dismissed his confession so easily.

Perhaps the timing was way off. The loathsome April Fools' Day. A day made up to incite unrest, and crush announcements.

His humiliation felt spot on.

With a grunt, he turned on his heel.

"Sesshomaru!?" Her voice was breathy after giggling so long, "Where are you going?!" Propping herself up on her elbows, she watched the demon's back stiffen up.

He paused long enough to glare at her over his shoulder. "Away."

"B-but why!?" He'd just gotten there! She couldn't understand him... The guy obviously had some issues, but they had become friends... she thought. "O-okay!" She bit her lip as he took the first step down toward the street. "I'll see you next time!" Goodbye felt too final. Why was he acting so weird...

Maybe he was playing up the joke.

Her grin returned. Method acting. Wow, he was good. Scrambling to her feet, she raced over to the steps. His expression had barely changed, but the slight tilt of his lips made her heart hurt. She'd barely seen him smile in the time they'd known each other. Sadness did not suit him at all. Anger, yes. Sadness, no. She definitely knew he was lying. "You almost had me believing you're seriously upset! I'm not going to fall for it!"

Keeping up with him, she grabbed his sleeve. He barely turned her way. It was enough of an opening for her to poke him in the cheek. "That expression doesn't even look natural on you. So stop it. I'm not fooled."

He sighed, "Just a fool then," expression of gloom remaining.

She grabbed his sleeve as he took another step. "Sesshomaru...?"

So naive, full of concern. The sincerity in her deep blue eyes had been what made him fall for her in the beginning. Her lips parted. A question begged. Would she confuse a kiss as she had confused his declaration?

She wanted him to turn, and so he turned. Catching the railing on both sides of her, he stepped in close. Blue eyes widened. Her quick breaths pushed her chest against him.

"S-Sesshomaru?"

The quiver in her voice made him stop short of a kiss.

Hot breath eased over her cheek. "I want to kiss you."

The words were so quiet she almost didn't hear them. "You want to...?" Face growing hot, she tilted her chin. They were so close, she couldn't look him in the eyes. His lips held her vision, and her thoughts. "Sesshomaru?"

"Hn." So close, he couldn't escape the scent of her. His lips caressed her soft cheek.

Clap!

The sting of her slap knocked him back.

"How can you play with my feelings like this?!" Her hand clutched her shirt over her throbbing heart. Tears stung her eyes. Not wanting him to see her cry, she looked down at the cement stairs. "To think I really liked you!"

Stunned. He froze. Staring at her trembling shoulders. "You dummy..."

His hands held the sides of her face. Ignoring the pounding of her fists on his chest, he forced her to look up.

Angry tears poured down her flushed cheeks as she snapped, "Sesshomaru let me go!"

"Listen!" His heartbeat thundered in his ears. If she were a demon she would have known his feelings just by the sound of it. "I love you!" His declaration came out as a growl.

Her chest heaved. Breaths came in clipped huffs. Tears stopped. Her mouth opened and closed.

He swallowed his panic.

Blue eyes caught his stare. Finally, she bit, "Why would you tell me on April Fools' Day?!"

Red tinged his eyes. Heaved breaths puffed his cheeks. "Waiting wasn't something I felt willing to do."

That was just like him... Kagome huffed. "You are the dummy... Her hands caught his broad shoulders. Warm breath tickled his lips. "Why aren't you kissing me?"

"I...I don't know..."

She smiled softly at his answer and closed the distance between them.

Gentle fingers caressed her face, down the line of her delicate neck. Breathing slowed, as he took his fill with one kiss after another.

Her soft mewls brought him to a place at the edge of control. And the breathy whisper in his ear told him not to care.

"I love you too..."

"That's very nice you two, but would you mind professing your love somewhere behind closed doors?"

Kagome winced.

There at the base of the staircase blinked the wide eyes of her family.

Grandpa slapped his hand over Souta's stare.

"Oh my..." Her red face buried into Sesshomaru's shoulder.

"Kagome," He grumbled, "It's going to take a few minutes before I can move...I'm..."

Her eyes grew a fraction wider, she pressed her lips together, repressing a mortified scream.

Sesshomaru clenched his teeth and offered a wave. "...I could get us out of here quickly..."

"Please!" She squeaked. Her fingers dug into his shoulders. "Uh..." Frantic, she shouted down at her mom as they picked up flight, "Happy April Fools'?!"

Mrs. Higurashi pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head, muttering up at them.

Kagome looked at Sesshomaru's tense face, "What is she saying? I can't hear her."

"She said, It wasn't an ideal introduction...your grandfather thinks using a demon in a prank is too extreme...your mom doesn't believe this is a prank."

"I guess she's more astute than I am..."

Her sheepish grin was returned by narrowed eyes and a clipped tone. "Indeed."


End file.
